New soda tax - for or against? (Philadelphia, Martinsburg: credit, neighborhoods)

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by BPP1999

I didn't vote in the poll because I don't live in the city.

It didn't stop others.

[NorthStarDelight]

Good to see there are more votes against the tax than for it.

I wonder if stores will try to circumvent the tax by buying from distributors who sell to stores outside the city limits and find a way to "slip" the sodas across the border. I certainly see a lot of opportunities for sidewalk sellers hawking cans and bottles for less than the taxed ones in the shops.

In any case, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the beverage companies can get this tax shot down by the courts by Jan 1. If this thing sticks, we might be seeing this all over the country - NOT what I wanna see. It's time to say "no" to those money-grubbing politicians, and the best way to go about it is to nip these insane schemes in the bud.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by NorthStarDelight

Good to see there are more votes against the tax than for it.

I wonder if stores will try to circumvent the tax by buying from distributors who sell to stores outside the city limits and find a way to "slip" the sodas across the border. I certainly see a lot of opportunities for sidewalk sellers hawking cans and bottles for less than the taxed ones in the shops.

In any case, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the beverage companies can get this tax shot down by the courts by Jan 1. If this thing sticks, we might be seeing this all over the country - NOT what I wanna see. It's time to say "no" to those money-grubbing politicians, and the best way to go about it is to nip these insane schemes in the bud.

Most of the "no" voters are likely not locals... you know... people, like you, who don't live in the Philly metro.

And, yep, that's what you're so worried about isn't it..... the attention it might get may spread the idea elsewhere. You're a thousand miles away from Phila but you are so freaked out you, an Atlantan, started a thread on the Philly board about it. lol.

The beverage lobby has already spent millions in local advertising trying to stop it... didn't work... obviously.

[slambram]

Originally Posted by NorthStarDelight

...
I wonder if stores will try to circumvent the tax by buying from distributors who sell to stores outside the city limits and find a way to "slip" the sodas across the border. I certainly see a lot of opportunities for sidewalk sellers hawking cans and bottles for less than the taxed ones in the shops.
...

Wouldn't the tax be charged at checkout, like sales tax or bottle deposit?

[Pennsport]

Originally Posted by KEVIN_224

I visit Philadelphia 4 or 5 times a year, whether it's an overnight hotel stay or as a day trip. I often shop in Center City. This will have a big impact on lunch and any snacks I buy for the ride back, etc. I could by something in NYC, but their sales tax is presently 8.375%.

Hahahaha... will it really? A big impact on your lunch and snacks? LOL LOL... if dropping a whopping 35 cents more for a can of soda is going to strain your budget, then the LAST thing you should be doing is taking road trips Bro.

Oh man, you "social media" freelancers are a trip. At least you can submit to Corporate Coca Cola that the thread you started has generated more than 30 replies over the course of several days and the crazy "poll" you're obviously manipulating shows strong support to eradicate the tax. I'd even put this this one in your end of week report to the in-house Social Media dept.

[selhars]

My understand from a story I heard on the radio says the tax is not charged at the consumer level but charged to the soda companies -- like Coca-Cola corporate…how that's going to work who knows. And of course the tax will be passed on anyway. So I'm not sure it matters. Except that if its charged to the soda companies, it's not another tax that venders themselves will have to be burdened with collecting.

Small and medium sized business especially don't need any more tax burdens

WHY does it seem that the only thing Democrats can think of is tax, tax tax, and more regulations?
(I know, I know I'm a victim of conservative talk radio)

Like I said I really am going to make an effort to spend as little money in Philly as possible.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by selhars

My understand from a story I heard on the radio says the tax is not charged at the consumer level but charged to the soda companies -- like Coca-Cola corporate…how that's going to work who knows. And of course the tax will be passed on anyway. So I'm not sure it matters. Except that if its charged to the soda companies, it's not another tax that venders themselves will have to be burdened with collecting.

Small and medium sized business especially don't need any more tax burdens

WHY does it seem that the only thing Democrats can think of is tax, tax tax, and more regulations?
(I know, I know I'm a victim of conservative talk radio)

Like I said I really am going to make an effort to spend as little money in Philly as possible.

I'd rather be here, truthfully, than say Kansas, where tax cuts didn't create the desired conservative result but has thrust the state into a huge fiscal crisis.

Democrats actually want to pay for things through government action. Republicans (is there actually a viable Rep Party now??) still think "trickle down/Reaganism" works.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by kyb01

I'd rather be here, truthfully, than say Kansas, where tax cuts didn't create the desired conservative result but has thrust the state into a huge fiscal crisis.

Democrats actually want to pay for things through government action. Republicans (is there actually a viable Rep Party now??) still think "trickle down/Reaganism" works.

Totally agree. You've got the lunatics in Kansas & the teabaggers who took over NC in 2010, who are raising fees on anything that doesn't move too fast to pay for their Christy Whitman style income tax cut for the wealthy while they chase away businesses with their social conservative gems like HB2.

I didn't vote, since I'm not there at this time.

[metalmancpa]

It was a brilliant government maneuver to get a cross section of society to believe they are thinking about a person's well being....and to get paid for it.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by selhars

My understand from a story I heard on the radio says the tax is not charged at the consumer level but charged to the soda companies -- like Coca-Cola corporate…how that's going to work who knows. And of course the tax will be passed on anyway. So I'm not sure it matters. Except that if its charged to the soda companies, it's not another tax that venders themselves will have to be burdened with collecting.

Small and medium sized business especially don't need any more tax burdens

WHY does it seem that the only thing Democrats can think of is tax, tax tax, and more regulations?
(I know, I know I'm a victim of conservative talk radio)

Like I said I really am going to make an effort to spend as little money in Philly as possible.

Democrats tend to try to even out the tax burden. The current version of the Republican party is all for increasing taxes on the middle & lower classes & decreasing taxes on the wealthy & corporations.

Trickle down economics hasn't worked yet.